APWonders S.r.l.

APWonders Srl operates in the research and development of innovative products, serving as a design company for new solutions based on the study of the possibilities offered by new technologies. As legal entity, the company has the form of “società a responsabilità limitata (Srl)”.
The company aims to create a business model that draws its strength from the significant innovative power of the ideas developed and the design skills of a team of scientists and engineers headed by a university professor and an experienced manager. The goal of the company is to grow rapidly in organic and turnover, differentiating innovative products designed and then marketed according to the proposed business model. APWonders Srl intends to consolidate its reputation and credibility in the market and, in addition to seeking new solutions, can also act as a R&D department for other companies. In today's global business that forces the Italian firms to compete with contenders from countries where investments in R&D are very high and where the cost of labour and the tax burden are much lower than in Italy, companies that are not able to continuously innovate their products or develop new ones soon find themselves with a competitive gap. Italian companies, which on average in recent decades have underinvested in research, are increasingly becoming aware of having to compete with a high level of innovation. There is therefore much more interest than in the past for innovative ideas that can improve existing products or for new products able to create new market niches, but at the same time few companies are able to bear the cost of an internal department of R&D.
The idea of establishing the APWonders Srl was born from the desire to bring to market the vertical axis wind turbine invented by Prof. Antonio Pantano, as a result of his research as professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Palermo. The tests carried out on this product showed a better performance than that of the resistance turbines currently on the market, thanks to its novel constructive scheme. The operation of the turbine has been tested successfully by building a prototype and by tests in a wind tunnel. The principle of operation is a totally innovative, it has been patented in Italian, patent N. 0001402145, and internationally, patent WO2012041961. The turbine has aroused the interests of the company Energy Italy SpA, located in Desenzano del Garda and active in the renewable energy sector, which has officially announced at the beginning of May 2013, their interest in cooperating in order to complete the development and marketing. The wind turbine represents the initial core business of APWonders Srl, but the belief that other four innovative products can be successfully brought to market has strongly contributed to the decision to start a new company. These novel products are: a system to absorb impact energy for cars (patented), an anti-roll system for small boats (patented), a spear gun for underwater fishing (patented) and a silencer for internal combustion engines. The first three are already covered by patent.
It has not been neglected the importance of an organization of high level, crucial, even more than good ideas, in determining the success of a company. The two founders, Antonio and Giovanni Salvatore Pantano, and the initial collaborators of APWonders Srl ensure broad and unquestioned experience, as well as adequate capacity to support each functional areas of their competence. Among the founders is prof. Antonio Pantano, a key figure of the company, with the function of CEO and Director of design. Antonio Pantano formation of a solid mechanical design established through an Italian degree, a Masters and a Ph.D. achieved in the USA, and two years as a researcher at the prestigious MIT. The experience limited to just three years in terms of management of company by prof. Antonio Pantano is more than compensated by the entrepreneurial experience of the second founder, Giovanni Pantano, which can only be of inestimable value for the birth and growth of the new startup. Giovanni Pantano was the founder and CEO for more than 40 years of companies that have achieved national level and sizes exceeding 100 employees.
APWonders Srl has already been awarded with an important prize: the “Bright Future Ideas Award”, January 23, 2014, Palazzo Mezzanotte, home of the Italian Stock Exchange; prize part of the UK-Italy Innovation Awards, category dedicated to young fast growing companies. APWonders Srl has also won the competition for newly created companies “Smart & Start” sponsored by Invitalia. The APWonders was awarded twice, in 2017 and 2018, the Seal of Excellence by the EC. In 2017 following the participation the call H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017 of 9 November 2017: project proposal 806939, acronym “OB Turbine”, title “Innovative Oscillating Blades Wind Turbine”.